A Ninja's Choice
by daccu65
Summary: On a mission, a ninja must make choices that could have dire consequences. A look at a possible different outcome to Return to Wannaweep.


_Dear Potential Reader:_

_I do not own the characters appearing in this tale. All characters are owned by the Mouse-Eared Empire. This story is not intended for profit, merely the enjoyment of trading a 'what if' with others. Now that the legal maters are taken care of, let's join some Kim Possible characters, sometime before "Return to Wannaweep"._

* * *

"I have to say, Mr. Fiske, it's not often that I receive a man of your standing," Dr. Lurkin told his guest, all too aware that his office was more suited to genetic research than to greeting high-profile guests. He flinched when the nobleman, scowl firmly on his face, sat upon his decidedly uncomfortable guest's chair. "I-In fact, I don't even know how to address you."

"To the commons, I am Lord Fiske," the imposing man informed him. "My lord...or even M'lord, is proper. However, I did not come here to have my ego stoked, so I can overlook your inexperience with dealing with nobility. I am more interested in learning more about a young man you treated. I believe that his name was Gill Moss."

"He's now Gil, Mr...er...M'lord," Dr. Lurkin was breaking out in a sweat. "I managed to suppress the genetic modification that altered him."

"Most impressive," the Englishman noted, although his manner indicated that he wasn't impressed. "However, I am more interested in how the boy turned into the mutant in the first place. I am no geneticist and while I once associated with a brilliant one, our interactions became decidedly sour."

"Perhaps you can tell me why you're interested in this," Lurkin suggested. "I mean, if I know why you want to know about it...M'lord...I might be able to tell you what you want to know."

Doctor Lurkin was keenly aware that his guest had a reputation of acting in the shady areas of the law, and was known to resort to violence on occasion. He sweated a bit more while the man stared at him over steepled fingers. Finally...

"Perhaps you are correct," the Englishman admitted. "The direct approach is generally the best. I will admit that I am fascinated by human mutation. I know that it's an odd interest for an archaeologist, but my wealth allows me to indulge in such flights of fancy. As such, I find myself curious about several aspects of this situation." Fiske paused. "Perhaps it would be best if I explained what I understand of this situation, so that you can correct any misconceptions that I have."

"That seems a logical course," Lurkin admitted. "I haven't completely researched the incident, but I'll tell you what I know."

"Very well," the Englishman nodded, now seeming more friendly. "As I understand things, young Mr. Moss was exposed to chemicals in Lake..."

"Wannaweep," Dr Lurkin supplied, when Fiske paused.

"Thank you," Fiske nodded to his host. "These chemicals altered his DNA, making him a human/fish hybrid. He gained size, strength and the ability to breathe under water. Is this correct?"

"Mostly," Dr. Lurkin adjusted his glasses, nervously.

"Please correct my inaccuracies," Fiske instructed him. To the geneticist's shock, the nobleman wasn't angry; he acted like a researcher who wanted his misunderstandings addressed.

"The chemicals in the lake didn't mutate his DNA so much as they made his DNA susceptible to alteration," Dr. Lurkin informed him. "While I haven't attempted to re-create the exact conditions in a laboratory, I hypothesize that these chemicals caused DNA from a fish's cells, in this case, the fish was a bluegill, to merge with his own cells. This is what caused his transformation."

"Such a hypothesis invites addition questions," Fiske noted.

"Indeed," Lurkin agreed, feeling a little more confident. "Ask away."

"The first is the most obvious," Fiske noted, leaning back and idly stroking his chin. "Why was Mr. Moss the only one affected?"

"Again, this is only conjecture," Lurkin answered. "But it seems that Gil was the only one who was in the water long enough for the chemicals to affect. The camp schedule was fairly strict, but Gil traded an arts and crafts activity for another boy's swimming activity. The additional exposure to the chemicals, over time, made his body susceptible to the infiltration of the piscine DNA."

"Interesting," Fiske mused. "How did it come to be fish DNA that affected the boy? While there would be a great deal of fish cells in the water, wouldn't there be more from various microscopic organisms?"

"I checked on that," Lurkin assured him. "The chemical waste only makes the subject susceptible to certain, invading DNA. In this case, the subject's body will only merge with the DNA from a fellow vertebrate."

"Ah," Fiske suddenly smiled. "So it was the luck of the draw, so to speak? He could have been merged with any other fish species, or even an amphibian or a reptile?"

"Indeed," Dr. Lurkin didn't know if he should be frightened or relieved by the smirk on his guest's face. "There are plenty of native salamanders, frogs, snakes and turtles in that lake; had Gil encountered such cells while the DNA was still viable, he could have mutated into a hybrid of any of them."

"How about mammals?" The nobleman asked, now staring intently at the geneticist.

"The same rules apply," Lurkin shrugged. "There are raccoon, beaver and muskrats that live in the lake. Gil could have easily become mutated by one of these species."

"Birds, as well?"

"Of course," Lurkin answered.

"How about mammal species that aren't native to the area?" Fiske asked him. "Say, a primate. If a human subject were to be exposed to the same chemicals, then exposed to simian cells with intact DNA, would the subject become a monkey hybrid?"

"I haven't considered it," Lurkin told him. "But I don't see why it would fail. However, the change wouldn't be as dramatic as Gil's."

"Why is this?" Fiske looked disappointed at the last revelation.

"Because humans and other primates are very close, genetically," Lurkin answered. In his element now, the geneticist didn't notice the growing frown on the archaeologist's face. "Generally speaking, fish were the first vertebrates, and the base stock for all creatures with backbones. Amphibians emerged from the fish, and reptiles from the amphibians. From the reptiles emerged birds and mammals. Again, this is hypothesis, but I believe that the farther apart, biologically speaking, the subject is from the invading DNA, the more dramatic the alteration."

"What dramatic alterations do you mean?"

"Well, Gill had the ability to create more mutants," Lurkin explained. "He could...spew...a very sticky slime which, after prolonged contact, forced the victim to mutate. I suspect that this...ability...wouldn't be present in someone affected by mammalian DNA." Now noticing his guest's irate expression, he stammered to continue. "In addition, while DNA from fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and most mammals would cause an increase in size, I suspect that the very similar DNA from other primates would result in a very modest growth, at most."

"I cannot fault you for being honest with me," Fiske murmured, seemingly more to himself than to his host. "Tell me, why weren't all of the creatures in the lake mutated? If a boy with an extra swimming activity was mutated after a summer, certainly a fish that is in the lake continuously would have sufficient exposure to experience alteration."

"It seems we humans are unique, when it comes to those chemicals," Lurkin informed him. "With the samples of lake water I had available, I was able to concentrate the chemicals, speed up the process and cause human cells to become...receptive...to invasion. I didn't have any luck with other vertebrate cells. I confess I didn't try other primate cells and I'm now out of the chemicals."

"Understandable," Fiske forgave him. "Your specialty is in vegetables. Is there anything more you can tell me about young Mr. Moss? Have there been any psychological effects?"

"That's not my area of study!" Lurkin protested.

"But you have treated him!" Fiske insisted. "You must have spoken to him!"

"Why are you asking?" The geneticist gave the archaeologist a decidedly suspicious look.

"Because I want to know if going through such a transformation turns the subject into something that they weren't, before." Fiske snarled at him.

"As in, you're thinking of re-creating the transformation!" Lurkin snarled right back. "That's both unethical and foolish!"

"Why is it foolish?" Fiske demanded, tensing up as if getting ready to spring.

Dr. Lurkin took a deep breath before speaking. "First of all, some group...and I don't know who...cleaned up the lake. Trying to re-create the conditions that caused Gil to mutate will be next to impossible and the attempt could destroy the local environment and poison hundreds of people. That's foolish."

"Secondly, I'm no psychologist, but it's clear that the boy has been changed," Lurkin growled. "While he wants revenge on the boy he traded the activities with, blaming him for his mutation, he wants to become a mutant once again. Such an inconsistency, held for as long as he's held it, isn't normal. Gil seems fairly well adjusted outside of these, irreconcilable attitudes. So yes, there is a psychological effect to transforming!"

"Is this all?" Fiske asked. "Just simultaneously hating having turned into a mutant while wanting to return to that state?"

"I think so..." Lurkin sighed. "There was an odd belief that he held, but he discarded it a long time ago. It was probably just trauma from being captured then being returned to his human form."

"And what belief was that?" Fiske demanded.

"He believed...that he could feel the toxic sludge...that he could locate it," Lurkin shook his head. "We told him that the lake had been cleaned up and that all of the toxic waste had been disposed of but for several weeks, he insisted that it was still out there. I guess logic finally won out."

"Indeed," Fiske drawled, after a long, uncomfortable silence. "Logic generally does, even if it takes you on an illogical path."

"Huh?"

"Dr. Lurkin, you have my thanks," Fiske told the man. He rose, prompting his host to do so, as well. He extended his hand. "We may not agree with each other, but you have been most helpful. You also have my sympathies."

"Sympathies?" Dr. Lurkin took the offered hand.

"That award on the top of your cabinet," Fiske indicated. "It was too close to the edge and fell off while you were working at your desk. Unfortunately, it struck the back of your head."

Dr. Lurkin was no fool. He knew what that statement meant, but knowing didn't do him any good. He was no match for Fiske's speed, strength and skill. Before he could even draw breath to shout, he registered the impact of the edge of Fiske's hand striking the base of his skull...and then there was nothing.

Fiske eased Dr. Lurkin's body into his chair and allowed his head to rest on his desk. He nodded upward, prompting a monkey to nudge the aforementioned award, causing it to drop onto the late doctor's head. The archaeologist spun on his heel and exited the office. It wouldn't do to tarry here. The monkey was quickly at his heels.

"No, I am not angry," Fiske answered a series of squeaks and squawks. "And I honestly regret needing to eliminate the geneticist."

More monkey squeaks sounded.

"Yes, the lake has been cleaned up," he admitted. "But I did a perfunctory check of all facilities capable of disposing of toxic waste within two hundred kilometers of the site. None of them accepted toxic waste from Lake Wannaweep. It would appear that the contractor the science camp owner hired didn't dispose of the chemicals in a proper manner; the contractor must have dumped it somewhere nearby."

Another series of chittering sounds.

"Young Mr. Moss is the key to this," Fiske informed his small companion. "As a world-renowned archaeologist, most facilities that try to rehabilitate troubled youth will welcome me, hoping that I can give purpose to the misdirected energies that certain boys exhibit."

Still more hoots and grunts.

"Oh, I have an idea for making sure that I am affected by the DNA I choose," Fiske chuckled. "Trust me, Chippy, soon I'll be fully merged with monkey DNA and then, the full force of the Mystical Monkey Power will be mine."

* * *

True, unconditional serenity did not exist. Serenity was found in one's own reactions to the turmoils that life inevitably confronted one with. Such were Master Sensei's thoughts when one of his favorite pupils, Hirotaka, approached him. The young man had clearly just received some unsettling news, but he did his best to conduct himself in a calm manner. Although his youth made doing so difficult, the fact that he was making the effort would make it much easier for Sensei himself to act with grace and wisdom.

"Hirotaka Kouhai," Sensei addressed the young man, after returning his bow. "To what do I attribute this unscheduled visit?"

"Unsettling news, Master," the young man answered him. "One who was tangentially associated with Mr. Stoppable has come to an untimely end."

"And I instructed you to inform me should such events take place," Sensei answered, with a slight nod. "I recall further instructing you that the urgency of informing me should depend upon the implications of the event."

"Indeed, master," Hirotaka noted. "The man who died is one Dr. Lurkin."

"I confess that I do not recall this name," Sensei admitted, allowing a subtle hint that he was beginning to doubt the necessity of interrupting his previously scheduled duties to learn of this.

"Shortly after being exposed to the Mystical Monkey Power, but before you invited him to this institution, Stoppable found himself confronted with a boy who had been mutated into a fish hybrid," Hirotaka explained. "After Stoppable defeated this boy, the authorities turned him over to Dr. Lurkin to be cured of his mutation."

"So Dr. Lurkin was a geneticist," Sensei concluded.

"Yes, master," Hirotaka confirmed. "He successfully changed the boy back to fully human. According to the coroner's report, one of his awards fell off of a high self while he was working at his desk and struck his upper spinal column."

"A most tragic and unusual demise," Sensei noted. "Perhaps even poetic; struck down by ones own vanity. However, I question the urgency in such news."

"Lord Fiske was visiting the institution that employed Dr. Lurkin at the time of the accident," Hirotaka told him, prompting Sensei's eyes to momentarily widen.

"Was Lord Fiske visiting Dr. Lurkin at the time?" Sensei asked.

"Not according to the _official_ schedule," Hirotaka answered. "I took the liberty of checking both the itinerary for Fiske's visit and Lurkin's schedule before I came here."

Sensei was no fool and he knew that his student was not, either. The young man was simply being polite enough to allow his master to reach his own conclusions.

"So," Sensei remarked, in a tone he could have easily used to comment on the weather. "Fiske, who is imbued with Mystical Monkey Power, infatuated with human mutation and opposed to young Stoppable visited a facility where a doctor, who successfully treated a former mutant who had opposed Stoppable, was employed. While he was there, the doctor met an unfortunate end."

"So it would appear, master," Hirotaka answered.

"Come with me," Sensei instructed the younger man. He set a course towards his office suite while continuing his conversation. "I can not speak about the skill or experience of the coroner who examined Dr. Lurkin's body. Yet, if he were not specifically looking for foul play, I wonder if he would even think to consider that the impact that ended the unfortunate doctor's life may have come from a hand and not an inanimate object."

"According to the report, Dr. Lurkin was alone in his office at the time of the accident," Hirotaka informed him. "It would take someone with considerable skill to enter the office without being noted."

"Such as someone who has sufficient skill to sneak into a ninja school," Sensei noted. The old man noted the trace of satisfaction on Hirotaka's face when his master exhibited the same suspicions that he had. "The question is, what did Fiske want with Lurkin?"

Hirotaka remained silent.

"Speak," Sensei gently chided him.

"It would be logical to assume that if Dr. Lurkin were able to cure Mr. Moss of being a mutant, he could inflict such a state upon someone else," Hirotaka noted.

"Which prompts the next question," Sensei noted, with an expectant look at the younger man.

"Did Fiske obtain what he sought?" Hirotaka answered. "I guess that he did."

"Why do you guess this, young man?" Sensei led the boy into his office.

"The fact that Dr. Lurkin was killed by a single blow, while isolated," the young ninja answered. "Fiske was not in danger of immediate discovery, so Lurkin wasn't killed to prevent the nobleman's capture. It was a single blow, which meant that Fiske hadn't tortured him for information. Finally, the fact that Lurkin was killed makes me believe that Fiske had already gotten what he wanted."

"Or that Lurkin did not have the knowledge that Fiske sought," Sensei corrected him. "There is also the possibility that we are making conclusions about an act that did not take place. The coroner could very well be right; Dr. Lurkin could have been struck down by an unfortunate accident."

"In that case, let me offer my apologies for disturbing you," Hirotaka bowed again.

"Apology not accepted," Sensei said, curtly. "As there was no offense to apologize for. I do not believe that this is a coincidence any more than you do. So tell me, what would you suggest that we do about this?" Sensei punctuated his remarks by waving the boy to a chair while sitting at his desk.

"I suspect that the key lies either in Dr. Lurkin's research or in this boy, Gil Moss," Hirotaka answered, taking the indicated chair. "Perhaps both."

"Why the boy?" Sensei hadn't had the time to contemplate the situation's intricacies and was intrigued by the unexpected path that his student's thoughts had taken.

"We know that Fiske is infatuated with monkeys, to the point that he had Dr. Hall perform surgery to give him a more simian aspect. The only thing that calls Dr. Lurkin to mind is the fact that he altered a mutated opponent of Ronald Stoppable."

"Of course," Sensei stroked his beard. "Fiske undoubtedly tracks Stoppable's activities, which would have brought the unfortunate Dr. Lurkin to his attention. Still, your reason for thinking that the boy could be a key?"

"The boy, Gil Moss, was the only one to completely transform," Hirotaka pointed out. "While the official story is that exposure to the lake's water is what caused him to change, could there be more to the story that is not being reported? Mr. Moss would know such things. Besides, as another person who hates Stoppable, he could be a kindred spirit."

"Or a loose end to be tied up," Master Sensei nodded. "I am impressed. Now, what would you do, if you had my authority and responsibility?"

"I would place a spy in the institution where Moss is being rehabilitated," Hirotaka answered, without hesitation. "Also, I would consider investigating the research facility where Dr. Lurkin used to work. If Fiske murdered the man, he would have been unable to destroy his records, for fear of revealing his actions. Clues to what Fiske seeks to gain, and how he seeks to obtain it, could be found in those records."

"Your thoughts mirror my own," Sensei informed the younger man. "I am issuing the instructions as we speak. You will travel back to America and report to Master Kurina."

"Ah," Hirotaka smiled. "Perhaps it will be good to have a much lower profile, on this visit."

* * *

By the time a Yamanouchi student reached his late teens, as Hirotaka had, he understood that often it was better to be unnoticed than to be unseen. While the young man was skilled in sneaking into buildings and gathering intelligence, such a stealthy approach required a great deal of surveillance before an attempt had a chance of succeeding, and was very risky compared to other alternatives. When possible, it was better to have a plausible reason for being in the target facility and establishing that reason started well before the assignment.

The last time Hirotaka had been to America, his assignment had been to observe Kim Possible and determine if it was her, and not Ron Stoppable, who had been exposed to the Mystical Monkey Power. Yamanouchi had selected a playboy persona for him on that trip; flashy clothes, a powerful motorcycle, rock star hair and a disdainful attitude. This time, his persona was much different. There was no vehicle of any kind, nor any flashy clothes. His hair was cropped close and had not a drop of styling gel in it. He stepped off the plane and collected a single, battered bag at the carousel before noting a middle-aged man who he had never met in person, yet recognized from the photos he had studied.

"Young Hirotaka," the man greeted him. "It is good that my nephew has decided to start over, but you will work very hard."

"I expect nothing less, Uncle Kurina," he answered, with a bow. "Shall we get started?"

And just like that, Hirotaka found himself officially employed by two companies, both owned by the Yamanouchi operative. One company provided janitorial services for the genetics research center that was mourning the loss of Dr. Lurkin while the other company provided catering services for a rehabilitation center that counted Gil Moss as one of its residents.

At the rehabilitation center, he learned that Lord Montgomery Fiske had recently started to visit the facility, where he tried to instill a love of learning in the resident adolescents. The world-renowned archaeologist did so surreptitiously, as he wanted to avoid the distraction that reporters and fans of his television show would undoubtedly create. By Hirotaka's third day of work, the nobleman had started to seek out the troubled and angry Gil Moss, talking to the boy and lending an understanding ear. Gil seemed to calm a little under Fiske's tutelage, or perhaps he was putting on an act. Within two weeks, Gil had obtained a partial release, allowing him to attend a local high school. At the school, he joined the cheerleading squad as a mascot. Of course, Hirotaka passed this information on to Master Sensei.

He had more freedom at the research center; several minutes each day in which he worked in Dr. Lurkin's former office. While doing so, he plugged in a drive that had a searcher program. This program went through the late doctor's files, finding any that referenced several key words, such as Gil, Gill, Moss, Wannaweep, Gottagrin and others. The next day, he plugged the drive back in, and these files were automatically loaded. He was not a geneticist, so the information meant nothing to him. He sent it on to Master Sensei, knowing that the old man would be able to track down someone who could make sense of it all. Master Sensei hadn't been idle.

The old ninja did not always share his discoveries; Hirotaka understood this. The way of the ninja was secrecy and anything a field operative did not know was something that he could never reveal. Yet, when he deemed it prudent, the old man was forthcoming with information, knowing that such knowledge could direct a field operative to further discovery. Thus, when Master Sensei provided additional information, gleaned from other operatives, Hirotaka knew that it was potentially vital. The first piece of information was that Fiske had purchased the old Camp Wannaweep and was renovating it. The second piece of information was that Fiske had been in contact with a company, negotiating the modification and purchase of a reverse-osmosis membrane.

That night, the young ninja researched just what a reverse-osmosis membrane was. Upon learning this, he tried to put the pieces together:

Lord Fiske, a man obsessed with transformation, was counseling a boy who had once transformed.

He had purchased a camp on a lake that had once been polluted and caused the transformation.

He was now seeking to purchase a product that was, in effect, a very selective filter. However, he was negotiating to make the selective filter even more selective, before buying it.

He had been in the area where Dr. Lurkin, who had cured Moss of the transformation and thus knew a great deal about its cause, died under mysterious circumstances.

Hirotaka didn't know how to fit the pieces together...even if they did fit together. Of course, that was also the way of a ninja; the answers were seldom clear. In times of such ambiguity, the principal of acceptable risk came into play; determining if potential knowledge gained was worth the risk of taking a more active approach to gathering information. He came to the conclusion that he dared not risk discovery until such time that they had more information from Dr. Lurkin's research. Master Sensei agreed with him; he would continue to cook, serve, clean and observe until another geneticist could tell them the significance of Dr. Lurkin's work.

Or, until Fiske made another move.

* * *

Another staple of ninja life...of any life for that matter...was that discoveries seldom came at a sedate pace that allowed you to adapt to each one in turn. They either didn't come at all, leaving you to guess and make due, or they came in a flood, which forced you to adapt to more than one at a time. A week after Hirotaka and Sensei made the decision to wait for more information, three such pieces appeared. The first came from the geneticist that Master Sensei had interpret Dr. Lurkin's research. The short answer was that the contaminants in the lake would allow a human to be mutated by the DNA of another vertebrate. The second came from the company that Fiske had set up to purchase the old Camp Wannaweep.

"This company is performing what they claim to be a publicity event," the old man explained. "They are going to host a cheer camp and competition in a few weeks' time. Among those schools invited to attend are Middleton High and the school which Gil Moss is attending."

"So, Fiske wishes to place Moss and Stoppable near the lake, at the same time," Hirotaka murmured. "It would appear to me that he wishes to gain revenge upon Stoppable."

"There is more to it than that," Sensei informed him. "I have recently learned that a simian aspect makes a subject more compatible with the Mystical Monkey Power."

Hirotaka considered that for a moment. "So you believe that it is Fiske's intent to mutate himself, using the contaminants from Lake Wannaweep?" He finally asked his master.

"The pieces seem to fit together so," Sensei replied. "He sought out and learned from one who studied and understood the mutation. After this, he purchased the property and a membrane that could potentially filter out other cells, allowing him to exposed himself to both the chemicals and to selected DNA...simian DNA."

"It still makes no sense, master," Hirotaka protested. "The contaminants have been cleaned from the lake! There are no chemicals in the water to alter Fiske!"

"He has also befriended a boy who is intimately familiar with the lake," Sensei pointed out. "For years, Gill Moss lived in that lake, biding his time for revenge. He knows every secluded inlet, every grotto, every sinkhole. If there is one who can locate a point where the cleaners failed to remove the chemicals, it is him."

Again, Hirotaka considered this. "It would appear that the time has come to risk discovery," he finally stated. "I must seek to learn the content of the so-called counseling sessions taking place between Moss and Fiske."

"Indeed, the risk is worth the potential reward," Sensei agreed. "But even more importantly, you will be at the camp when the cheerleaders arrive. You will observe and intervene, if necessary. Fiske must not be allowed to become the Ultimate Monkey Master. There can be only one, and we cannot allow Fiske to gain an advantage over Stoppable, or any other potential claimant."

Even when faced with a task that outsiders would consider typical ninja missions, like eavesdropping on the conversations between Gil Moss and Lord Fiske, Hirotaka went about the task in a way that most outsiders wouldn't expect. For one thing, most of the residents of the rehabilitation facility that housed Moss were in school during the day, making the early afternoon hours the best to break into his room. Hirotaka knew the location of his target's room and knew some of his habits quite well. Therefore, breaking into the boys room was best done during the day. Rather than sneaking in over a roof or along a wall, Hirotaka simply memorized the staff members' schedules and walked to the room. There, he did something else that may have surprised an outsider.

While Yamanouchi was an ancient institution; tracing it's origin over two millennia, it had embraced modern methods of information gathering. (Hirotaka preferred to not think of it as espionage.) Thus, once in the room, Hirotaka simply sabotaged the window lock and planted a microphone before going back to his duties in the kitchen. He knew that whenever Moss met with Fiske, the boy carried the same backpack that he used to carry his schoolbooks. That night, the young ninja sneaked onto the rehabilitation center's grounds, listened to the hidden microphone to confirm that Moss was asleep, then crept through the window and planted another bug in the backpack.

Two days later, after the evening meal, Fiske took Gil aside for some more counseling. As per his usual habit, the boy took his backpack along. This meant that instead of needing to get close enough to eavesdrop, Hirotaka only had to get close enough for his receiver to pick up the microphone. Sitting in a mechanical room, the young ninja waited patiently as Fiske discussed archaeology, math and science with the young man. Hirotaka was beginning to wonder if Fiske was honestly trying to rehabilitate Moss, as the discussion merged to the upcoming cheerleader competition.

Hirotaka's doubts grew as the two spoke of the activities that would take place at the camp and competition, finally, after other people cleared away from the area, Gil confirmed Yamanouchi's suspicions.

"So what are you getting out of all of this?" The boy demanded.

"I do not see how my benefit is any concern of yours," Fiske's voice answered. "You're going to get what you want; a return to your mutant status and revenge upon the wretched Ronald Stoppable. After this, you will be free to spend your days in the lake and the nearby forest, free of this institution and the schools you are forced to attend. Isn't that what you want?"

"Of course," Gil answered.

"Then why are you questioning me?"

"Because I know you won't do this unless you get something out of it," Gil countered. "Unless you can tell me what you get out of it, I'll know it's just a setup."

"Very well," Fiske sighed. "Mr. Moss, I have a history with Mr. Stoppable. He took from me something that I had labored many years to obtain. That's bad enough, but he doesn't even appreciate what he took! He is nothing but an oaf and a pretender, yet he is a thorn in my side. I want revenge, Mr. Moss; I want Stoppable to suffer, to be crushed and to see his friends and teammates suffer for their association with him. What's more, I want my hands to remain clean while this happens. Yes, Mr. Moss, I am using you as a tool of my vengeance but I do not abuse my tools."

"Okay, good enough," Gil agreed. "When I find the chemicals, Ronnie gets his after I deal with everyone else."

Hirotaka suspected that others approached the meeting room where the two were talking, as the conversation quickly changed to more mundane topics. He still waited until they left and he was careful to not get in a rush; leaving the area was just as perilous as the approach. That night, however, he was able to pass on what he had heard to his master. As he suspected, Sensei repeated his instructions to be at Camp Gottagrin during the competition.

* * *

The way of a ninja was patience; patience in preparation, patience in execution and patience to wait for your target to make his move. This had been drilled into Hirotaka's head over and over, from close to the time that he could walk. Yet, the young man found his carefully developed fortitude to be severely tested. How could the teens in the camp be such fools?

His teeth ground together in frustration as he watched, hidden in the forest, as the vast majority of those attendance at the cheer camp and competition hurled vegetables at Stoppable and called him a loser. At Yamanouchi, Stoppable was a hero, lauded for assisting Yamanouchi in its time of need and rescuing Hirotaka's own dear cousin, Yori. He had faced Fukushima, after only a week of ninja training, and had defeated him. Yet here, he was worthy only of derision and scorn.

It was bad enough that the other campers scorned him for his suspicions; Gil's actions had been reported in the American press and the boy spent each night creeping about the lake-shore. Yet the Middleton Squad, the very girls Stoppable had rescued from Gill less than a year previously, gleefully joined in the abuse. Were their memories so short that they could not remember nearly being turned into mutants, themselves? Was Stoppable so...uncool...that they couldn't afford him the simple courtesy of giving him the benefit of the doubt? Were they so easily swayed by popularity that they were willing to scorn their own rescuer, so that they could be part of the larger group? Stoppable fled the area and Hirotaka stalked off through the forest, keeping an eye on Fiske, who was also remaining hidden from the cheerleaders and staff.

Much as the last couple of days, Fiske was following Gil Moss as the boy searched through the forest. The youngster seemed to sniff at the air, or perhaps he was using some sense that was beyond the ninja's knowledge. Somehow, the boy looked like he was narrowing his search, heading for something. Hirotaka was careful to remember caution; excitement was as much a threat to a ninja as the enemy. It was a wise precaution; Stoppable was following Moss as was Fiske, who was keeping out of Stoppable's view. With two parties following Moss, anything less than full caution would have risked discovery. Instead of being detected, Hirotaka was presented with a chilling view; Moss had found a grotto with a pond of greenish, glowing water.

"Finally!" The boy exclaimed. Stoppable watched, horrified, from a cliff top and Fiske watched, expectantly, while Moss waded into the toxic mess. They boy lowered himself completely into the seething liquid. The vile brew bubbled and thrashed for several seconds and then, finally, Moss re-emerged.

Hirotaka had never seen Gill in person, but he had studied videos and photos of the mutant enough to know what had just happened. The re-born Gill Moss stalked out of the grotto and into the forest. Up above, Stoppable turned and fled back the way he had come. True to his mission, Hirotaka continued to observe Fiske. The Englishman marked the location on his GPS app, then made a call before leaving the area. Hirotaka followed.

It didn't take long for Fiske to reach a seldom-used, gravel road. Once there, he paced impatiently for only a few minutes before a pickup, moving erratically, showed up and stopped nearby. The erratic driving was explained when a monkey clambered out of the driver's seat and, with a few more such creatures, assisted Fiske in unloading equipment from the back.

Hirotaka didn't like Montgomery Fiske, but he couldn't fault the man's work ethic. The nobleman bent to the task of hauling the equipment from the pickup and back to the grotto. Once there, while his monkeys unfurled what appeared to be a plastic tarp, he donned a hazard suit and waded into the toxic water. Hirotaka watched with great interest while Fiske and the monkeys unrolled the tarp over the entire pod, weighting it at strategic points. The plastic was somewhat porous, allowing the contaminated water to seep through. Fiske left the tarp to slowly sink into the pond while he removed the hazard suit. One of his monkeys approached him, reluctantly.

"We decided this already, Chippy," Fiske told his minion, as he accepted a syringe from another monkey. "The reverse-osmosis membrane will allow the chemicals to seep through, but will filter out unwanted DNA. I must have proper, monkey DNA to combine with my own and as the smartest of my monkey ninjas, you must be the one to provide it."

The monkey in question flinched, but allowed Fiske to draw some blood from its arm. As Fiske turned towards the pond, screams sounded in the distance.

"It would appear that Mr. Moss has decided to have his vengeance," Fiske smirked at the monkeys. "Although the filtering process is going slower than I would have hoped. However, the boy should provide enough of a distraction to prevent any interruptions, but I must be sure. The lot of you, go to the cheer camp and observe. Should anyone leave and come this way, come here at once and warn me!"

The monkeys rushed off to do their master's bidding, leaving the Englishman to glare at the membrane slowly sinking into the glowing water, filtering out the unwanted DNA. With his target alone and distracted, Hirotaka made his move, slowly stalking closer to the man. If this were a movie, the young ninja would have struck the man unconscious with a blow to the head, or perhaps caught him in a carotid artery choke and rendered him insensible. Instead, Hirotaka did the practical thing and stunned his target with a taser.

Before Fiske could recover enough to resist, Hirotaka used several tie-wraps to immobilize him, as well as gag him. He dragged the man into the forest and concealed him, only then pulling out a phone and reporting the situation.

"Very good," Sensei complimented him. "But your mission is not yet over. I will arrange for this grotto to be reported to the EPA, and there will be enough pressure exerted to ensure that it will be cleaned up properly. In the meantime, you must make sure that Fiske does not merge the Monkey DNA with his own."

"Understood, master," Hirotaka bowed, even though it wasn't a video phone. "I..." He was interrupted by the sounds of shrieking monkeys, approaching through the woods. "I must go," he quickly told him master. "Fiske's minions approach."

Unfortunately for the ninja, despite being raised and educated in a school that venerated the Mystical Monkey Power, he had never learned to speak with monkeys. Fiske's creatures were clearly agitated, chittering and howling. They were even more agitated when they reached the grotto and found their master missing. They were well trained and flexible, spreading out to search for the nobleman. Fiske was awake by then, angry and struggling with his restraints. Knowing that they would find him eventually, Hirotaka went on the offensive.

While the monkeys were formidable fighters for their size, there was no way that the small number that Fiske had brought with him were going to overpower the young ninja. The only concern Hirotaka had was that some of them would keep him distracted while one found the Englishman and released him. Instead of allowing this, Hirotaka used Fiske as bait; a prize that the monkeys would try to reach. He concealed himself near his captive and, as each monkey searched and got close, overpowered and bound the small primate. It took time, but Hirotaka eventually had all of the monkeys bound and angry. Before he could puzzle out what to do with all of his captives, he heard the sounds of a large body crashing through the forest, approaching the grotto from the direction of Camp Gottagrin.

Of course, he had noted the disused cabin on the clifftop overlooking the grotto when he trailed Fiske to this location. However, after assuring himself that it was, indeed, abandoned, he had payed it no further mind. He concealed himself when the structure was battered into rubble and he remained concealed when heavy footfalls stalked away from the pile. He continued to remain hidden as the rubble shifted and Ron Stoppable emerged. Hirotaka watched as the teen set his rodent companion down, said something about there being no other way, then prepared to jump into the sludge.

By now, the membrane had sunk through the contaminated water, leaving the chemicals free of DNA. In a moment, he realized that the young man sought to gain Gill's mutant powers, so that he could combat the creature. However, there was no DNA to merge with his body! What would happen to him? Stoppable jumped, and Hirotaka suddenly knew what he had to do. His mission wasn't over; he had to make sure that Fiske wouldn't gain an advantage over Stoppable in his pursuit of becoming the ultimate monkey master. How better than to give that advantage to one that Yamanouchi found acceptable?

"Forgive me," he muttered under his breath, as he scrambled to where he had left the syringe. "Or thank me, depending on how this works out."

With Stoppable submerged in the toxic water, he broke the syringe and tossed the halves, still full of monkey blood, into the water where the bubbles from his dive were still emerging. He watched as Stoppable emerged from the pond and looked at himself, clearly dismayed that he hadn't been visibly mutated. Sighing, the American teen picked up his rodent companion and hurried back towards the camp. Knowing that he didn't have much time left, Hirotaka went to work.

He borrowed the hazard suit that Fiske had worn and pulled the membrane from the contaminated water, shredding it as he did so. Finished with the task, he returned to where Fiske and his monkeys were struggling to free themselves...and getting close to succeeding.

"I am leaving now," he hissed at the nobleman. "I have torn your membrane, so that the chemical water that had only monkey DNA in it is now mixed with the DNA of the other creatures who have lived in the lake. Should you submerge yourself in these waters, you run the risk of being combined with something you do not wish."

Warning delivered, Hirotaka vanished into the shadows and made his escape. He had neglected to tell the Englishman that Yamanouchi would arrange for a complete cleanup of the grotto, knowing that it would affect Fiske's actions. Instead, Hirotaka wondered if he had just given Stoppable a curse or a blessing...and if it would be possible to determine which was which.

* * *

Ron had changed. He knew he had changed, but when he emerged from the noxious soup, he couldn't see any alterations. He wasn't bigger, he didn't have claws, fangs or gills; he was just just Ron Stoppable. He was disappointed, but he decided that he had to do something. It was when he waded out of the water, picked up Rufus and ran through the forest and back to the camp that he realized that he must have been altered. He was running faster than he had ever run before, and wasn't getting tired. As the distance to Wannaweep continued to shrink, he felt stronger than ever!

There were dozens of people milling around the cheer camp, but a racket was sounding from clown camp, so Ron set his course there. He arrived just in time to see almost a dozen clowns scramble into a tiny car, only for Gill to slime the undersized vehicle.

"Gill!" He shouted, hoping to distract and delay the mutant. "Excuse you!"

"Ron!" Gill snarled at him. "I didn't expect to see you here! I thought I finished you at the cabin!"

"Well, sometimes collapsing buildings aren't all that dependable," he taunted. "I have to admit, I don't see what was all that great about the nasty water. I jumped in and it didn't seem to do anything to me."

"You jumped into my grotto?" Gill demanded. "That power is for me and me alone!"

"What do you mean?: Ron demanded. "You're trying to mutate everyone around here. Besides, that makes you sound like F...ISKE!"

Ron suddenly found himself dodging burst after burst of Gill's slime. Yet, even through his fear, he noted that it seemed to be coming at him slower than before. He was easily able to avoid it; ducking under one burst, sidestepping another and vaulting over the next. This last move put him close to his mutant adversary, so he kicked Gill in the face. To his surprise, the monster was sent stumbling back. Gaining confidence, he rushed his foe.

He should have known better. Gill was off balance, but still dangerous. As he dove at the mutant, Gill dropped to his back and got his webbed feet up, sending Ron sailing past and into a circus tent. The blonde tumbled over and over, finally coming to a painful halt against one of the poles. Ordinarily, once he regained his wits, he would have slipped under the tent flap and fled but now, he saw the trapeze and found it...intriguing. By the time Gill stalked into the tent, Ron had climbed the pole and was swinging from the trapeze.

"What's this?" Gill snarled from the ground. "Play time?"

"No, just passing the time until you got in," Ron admitted. "You know, I never realized how much fun this was." To emphasize this, he flipped himself, hooked his feet around the support ropes and continued to swing upside-down."

"Well, I hope you had plenty of fun," Gill chuckled, now shimmying up the pole. "Because you don't have an escape, now. The only way down is through me!"

"Maybe not," Ron countered. He jumped from the trapeze and landed on the platform, well above Gill on the pole. He waited while the mutant climbed closer and closer, then he simply hopped off of the platform.

He bounced off of the safety net and back towards the pole, catching himself on it below Gill. He was much more agile than his adversary, easily climbing up to his level.

"Hey, what are you..." Gill snarled, then chuckled, as Ron began to tickle his feet. "Stop it! I'm gonna fall! You can't do that!"

Despite his protests, Gill was strong enough to pull himself up to the platform. Once he did, Ron clung to the underside of the surface, braced his legs, looked at the still swinging trapeze and launched himself down at the net.

Was this how KP felt when she did her cheerleading moves, or did her acrobatics when she fought the bad guys? What he was doing was dangerous...but so exhilarating! He hit the safety net and the spring brought him back up into the air, allowing him to grab the swinging trapeze. He pumped his body a couple of times, increasing the swing so that he would approach Gill, on the platform.

"I don't know what's gotten into you," the mutant snarled at him. "But it's about to end!"

Ron scrambled up and stood on the trapeze bar as it swung towards the platform. Gill jumped from his perch and seized the bar, prompting Ron to scramble up the ropes.

"There's no place for you to go, squeeb," the mutant growled.

"Oh?" Ron taunted him. "There's always down!"

With that, Ron let go of the ropes and dropped onto Gill's back.

"Wait! What are you doing?" The mutant demanded. "Don't..."

With a fiendish chuckle, Ron tickled Gill's armpits, making him reflexively let go of the trapeze.

"Ha...ha HA!" Any impartial observer would have noted that Ron's laughter sounded like monkey shrieks, or like Fiske's own maniacal laugh. But there was no such observer, no one to see Ron cling to Gill's back as they fell onto the safety net. Nobody observed Gill scream in terror as he bounced off of the net, nor Ron launch himself from the mutant's back and grab the pole again. While Gill bounced on the net several times, Ron scrambled down the pole and to the net.

Gill shook his head, disoriented and nauseous, clinging to the net for dear life. For all that he was comfortable swimming, falling and bouncing gave him motion sickness. Trembling, he noticed that the net was shifting; sagging on one side. He looked that direction see Ron un-clipping the net's supports.

"What are you doing?" He shrieked. "You can't just drop me!"

Ron chuckled at the irony. It seemed that bad guys were all the same; willing to subject you to all sorts of unpleasant injury and death, but suddenly becoming humanitarians when they were on the receiving end. At least Gill's protests kept him too busy to interfere as Ron finished un-hooking the net. Gill screamed in terror; as he dropped the eight feet to the ground. Still laughing, Ron grabbed one end of the net and jumped over his squirming opponent. Before Gill could react, he was completely entangled.

"I think I heard him in here!" A familiar voice declared. Ron was just finishing binding Gill when KP rushed into the tent, followed by Bonnie and Mr. Barkin.

"Ron!" The redhead gasped. "You're back and...you caught him? How?"

"Well, the key was to get him up on the trapeze," Ron answered, feeling very smug. "He's mighty tough at ground level but when you get him up in the air, he's a fish out of water."

Gill wasn't so disoriented that he couldn't groan at the pun.

* * *

_Epilogue One, Yamanouchi._

"You did well, young Hirotaka," Master Sensei praised his student. "By warning Fiske that you had shredded the membrane, you made him believe that he would have enough time to obtain a new one and perform the procedure at a later date. He must have been most surprised when America's Environmental Protection Agency showed up and disposed of the last of the chemicals. That pathway to becoming the ultimate monkey master is now closed to him."

"My thanks, Master," Hirotaka bowed. "But what about Stoppable? He didn't appear to be mutated."

"Perhaps, and perhaps not," Sensei answered. "I have had a geneticist continue to study Dr. Lurkin's research, and I have had others study notes that he kept about subjects other than genetics. It would appear that if Stoppable were mutated with monkey DNA, the alteration would be subtle, only visible after close observation. Also, he may seek to obscure the fact that he is mutated, wanting to keep the power it gives him. If he is mutated and he uses such power for good, he will be an even better candidate to become the ultimate monkey master."

"Are you sure that he won't become a villain?" Hirotaka asked, knowing that his question verged upon insubordination.

"We continue to observe," Sensei showed no sign of offense. "He continues to assist Miss Possible in her heroic missions. I note that he has become more capable since leaping into the pool but since his heart remains good and he remains friendly towards Yamanouchi, it seems best to allow him to live his life."

"At least until he must take up the burden of ultimate monkey master," Hirotaka countered.

"It is good and proper of you to question your actions," Sensei told him. "But in this case, such concern is misplaced. Being the ultimate monkey master is a duty, but the mystical monkey power has a way of rewarding those who serve it. I feel that young Stoppable is destined for great things. You have not cursed him with this destiny, you have merely made it easier for him to achieve it."

_Epilogue Two, Middleton._

"That was some good work," Kim congratulated her best friend and mission partner, as their latest ride dropped them off in front of her house. "I hadn't even begun to fight Shego and you had the machine disabled and Drakken tied up." She pause for a moment. "You've really picked up your game ever since Gottagrin. Are you sure you didn't get affected by that pond?"

"KP, look at me," Ron stood with his arms outstretched, letting her see that it was still just him. "No gills, no claws or scales, nothing but me." He dropped his arms and placed one hand on her shoulder, assuring her that he was being honest. "I had hoped that the pond would turn me into a super-mutant like Gill, but it didn't. I decided that I had to do something and when I did, I guess I just got the confidence to do better."

"Okay, you're probably right," Kim admitted. "I have to admit, the missions have gotten easier."

"With me carrying my own weight, we're back in time for Bueno Nacho," Ron agreed.

Kim smiled, some things would never change. "Just make sure you tell me if you notice anything, okay."

"I promise," Ron assured her. "Anything freaky happens to me, I'll be sure everyone knows." He smiled for her. "It's me we're talking about, if I see changes I don't like, I'll have a complete wig-out."

"Well, it's getting late," she finally told him. "See you tomorrow?"

"Of course," he assured her, then left and made his way to his own house. Once there, he went to his room and undressed, getting ready for bed. He paused when he took off his socks, studying his feet.

His big toes continued to change, separating from the rest of the digits. They weren't opposable digits, but his ability to manipulate objects with his feet continued to grow. He felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that he was breaking his promise to his best friend but he didn't want to go back to being normal. Besides, it was for the best. Kim was doing good things for the world and he was better at helping her. So he was a mutant, even if he was the only one who knew.

What harm could come of it?

_The end? _

_Or is the beginning of a new story arc?_

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reading this little trip through my imagination. Thanks to Joe Stoppinghem, for beta reading._

_Best wishes to all_

_daccu65_


End file.
